All You Need to Know About Avocados

By Dinah Jackson

Expert Author Dinah Jackson

Avocados come from primarily Mexico and the Yucatan, but their native range extends deep into South America as well. Basically there are two types: the smaller bulb-shaped variety that has bumpy skin and is nearly black when ripe, and the larger, smooth-skinned variety that remains green when it is ripe. While the smaller variety is by far the more common of the two in the Americas, it is also rare outside of them. The cultivars that have been introduced into Asia tend to be of a larger, green type. For eating, the black (or Mexican) variety is generally considered to be the superior of the two. It is buttery (in fact one of avocado's nicknames is tree butter) and rich in flavor, with deep, nutty, overtones. The smooth variety, while also quite palatable and yummy, tends to be watery in comparison to its bumpy brother, and has a more refreshing, light taste. The latter type can get quite large as well.

While I lived in Hawaii I noticed one evening that the apartment complex next to ours had a huge avocado tree growing in the parking lot, and it was fruiting! Well, I have heard that to pluck a flower doth not a thief make, and in that spirit I have rationalized using this principle to procure a number of low hanging fruits in my day, and this was no exception. The avocado was big and hard as rock. But it softened after a full two weeks and was delicious (a big watery type). I also procured a half a dozen lilikoi (passion fruit) from the same parking lot several months later.

Most of us are familiar with the various ways to enjoy this delicious fruit (it doesn't take to cooking by the way, in case you were wondering), but have you ever tried it as sashimi? Slice it up and dip into soy sauce with wasabi and perhaps some shredded daikon or a shisho leaf. Delicious!

This article was written by Dinah Jackson who is a nutritionist in Japan. To find the rarest Japanese Pokemon cards, check out the store that has every kind of Japanese Pokemon cards that you can imagine. Also an incredible selection of Japanese Pokemon plush toys, figures, binders, sleeves, deck boxes, and thousands more items. Delivered right to your front door from Japan.